Layout editing program

Abstract

Operations wherein print layout(s) is or are edited and print job(s) is or are created are made capable of being carried out efficiently. In template mode, apportionment of image(s) is ordinarily carried out with template(s) being set for each individual page. Group(s) are closed for each page. Package(s) may be such that a plurality of templates are treated as a single pack (multiple pages), and group(s) within package(s) may be such that all are treated as if it or they are the same group(s), the same image(s) being assignable thereto. List(s) (dropdown list(s)) of name(s) of template(s) corresponding to print media size(s) specified at media/printer selection area 146 may be displayed at screen(s) which is or are presented when package(s) is or are employed. Layout editor(s) obtain such template information (dropdown list(s)) from print server machine(s). Upon selection of only a single desired template name from such a list, description(s) of that template name may be displayed below that list and selected template(s) may be displayed at layout display area(s).

1 . A print layout editing program which is a computer program for editing one or more print layouts representing how one or more images to be printed is or are to be arranged on print media, the print layout editing program being capable of causing one or more computers to carry out 
 one or more steps wherein one or more desired sets of image data are displayed and the layout on print media of at least one of the set or sets of image data is edited; and    one or more steps wherein one or more sets of print job data are created, at least one of the set or sets of print job data being in accordance with at least one of the edited layout or layouts and including at least one of the desired set or sets of image data and one or more color profiles previously embedded in that image data.    
     
     
         2 . A print layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 1 , which, in the event that at least one of the desired set or sets of image data has no color profile embedded therein, is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein one or more prescribed color profiles are automatically treated as if it or they had previously been embedded therein.  
     
     
         3 . A layout editing program which is a computer program for editing one or more print layouts representing how one or more images to be printed is or are to be arranged on print media, the layout editing program being capable of causing one or more computers to carry out 
 one or more steps wherein one or more desired templates are displayed after being selected from one or more template libraries, each of which contains a plurality of templates, each template comprising one or more image frames of prescribed size or sizes arranged at prescribed location or locations on one or more pages;    one or more steps wherein a plurality of images are displayed; and    one or more steps wherein one or more user-desired sets of image data corresponding to one or more images among the displayed plurality of images is or are pasted in or on one or more user-specified image frames present within at least one of the displayed template or templates so as to permit one or more print layouts to be edited.    
     
     
         4 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 3  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein one or more users are able to edit one or more pages such that at least one image size can be freely set without use of the template or templates.  
     
     
         5 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 3  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein 
 one or more packages are selected in response to user request or requests, each package representing a set comprising a plurality of templates of the same page size;  
 one or more steps wherein a plurality of templates contained within at least one of the selected package or packages are displayed in list or table fashion; and  
 one or more steps wherein one or more user-desired templates among the plurality of templates displayed in list or table fashion are selected and used for print layout editing of one or more pages.  
 
     
     
         6 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 5  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein arrangement of one or more image frames present within at least one of the template or templates can be changed in response to user request or requests.  
     
     
         7 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 3  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein, responsive to user request or requests, one or more new templates is created using one or more template creation tools, and at least one of the created template or templates is added to at least one of the template library or libraries.  
     
     
         8 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 7  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out 
 one or more steps wherein connection or connections is or are made to one or more other computers by way of communication network or networks, and one or more of the desired template or templates are obtained from one or more template libraries at at least one of the other computer or computers; and  
 one or more steps wherein at least one of the obtained template or templates is used to carry out print layout editing.  
 
     
     
         9 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 3  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out 
 one or more steps wherein, when at least one of the image or images is to be placed in at least one of the image frame or frames, either a first or a second placement style is selected in response to user request or requests;  
 in the event that the first placement style is selected, the at least one image is made the maximum size which will allow all of it to fit completely within the at least one image frame, margin or margins being added as necessary during placement thereof in the at least one image frame; and  
 in the event that the second placement style is selected, the at least one image is made the minimum size which will allow it to fit within the at least one image frame without production of a margin or margins, portion or portions of the at least one image which extends or extend beyond the at least one image frame being trimmed as necessary during placement thereof in the at least one image frame.  
 
     
     
         10 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 3  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein, when one or more images which is or are long horizontally is or are to be placed in one or more image frames which is or are long vertically, and/or when one or more images which is or are long vertically is or are to be placed in one or more image frames which is or are long horizontally, at least one of the respective image or images is rotated by 90 degrees before being placed in the corresponding image frame.  
     
     
         11 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 10  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein, responsive to user request or requests, either clockwise or counterclockwise may be selected as the direction in which the at least one image is to be rotated at at least one of the rotating step or steps.  
     
     
         12 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 3  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein, when editing one or more print layouts for respective pages in one or more print jobs comprising a plurality of pages, a different template is applied to each page in response to user request or requests.  
     
     
         13 . A layout editing program which is a computer program for editing one or more print layouts representing how one or more images to be printed is or are to be arranged on print media, the layout editing program being capable of causing one or more computers to carry out 
 one or more steps wherein one or more print jobs are created based on results of editing; and,    responsive to user request or requests when creating at least one of the print job or jobs, 
 (1) one or more steps wherein instruction as to which among the plurality of printers is or are acceptable as printer or printers to be used for printing at least one of the print job or jobs is included within at least one of the print job or jobs;  
 (2) one or more steps wherein instruction to use one specific printer among the plurality of printers as the printer to be used for printing at least one of the print job or jobs is included within at least one of the print job or jobs; and  
   one or more steps wherein at least one of the step or steps at either (1) or ( 2 ), above, is selected.    
     
     
         14 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 13  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein, in the event that at least one of the step or steps at (1) is selected, instruction to print all of the print job or jobs using the same printer or printers is included within at least one of the print job or jobs in response to user request or requests.  
     
     
         15 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 13  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein, in the event that at least one of the step or steps at (1) is selected, instruction to print identical pages within at least one of the print job or jobs using the same printer or printers is included within at least one of the print job or jobs in response to user request or requests.  
     
     
         16 . A layout editing program which is a computer program for editing one or more print layouts representing how one or more images to be printed is or are to be arranged on print media, the layout editing program being capable of causing one or more computers to carry out one or more steps wherein whether to print at least one of 
 (1) one or more page borders,    (2) one or more image frame borders,    (3) one or more crop marks,    (4) one or more customer names,    (5) one or more image file names,    (6) one or more computer machine names, and    (7) one or more editing staffperson names, on one or more pages subject to editing is specified in response to user request or requests.    
     
     
         17 . A layout editing program which is a computer program for editing one or more print layouts representing how one or more images to be printed is or are to be arranged on print media, the layout editing program being capable of causing one or more computers to carry out 
 one or more steps wherein one or more print layouts are edited for each page constituting one or more print jobs;    one or more steps wherein print job data is formed based on results of this editing; and    one or more steps wherein one or more messages to the effect that printing is finished are automatically displayed when printing of one or more print jobs currently subject to editing is finished.    
     
     
         18 . A layout editing program according to the program recited at  claim 17  which is further capable of causing at least one of the computer or computers to carry out one or more steps wherein, responsive to user request or requests, selection is made as to whether at least a portion of the print job data should be automatically saved or automatically deleted when printing thereof is finished as described above.